Between the Lines
by Musing Soul
Summary: A series of One-shots, set between the story chapters of Awakening, chronicling the struggles of Robin and the Shepherds to balance themselves against the ever increasing weight of the world. Rated T. Probably will have quite a bit of Robin and Lucina centric stories. Starts after Chap.14
1. Hope Will Never Die

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS OR MATERIAL. NO PROFIT IS BEING MADE ON THE PUBLISHING OF THESE STORIES.**

 **Hello and welcome to my latest writing project. This will be a series of roughly connected one-shots based in between chapters of Fire Emblem: Awakening. There are some elements of AU involved here, as I will be playing with future event timing in an effort to remove as much weirdness from the Robin/Lucina pairing as possible (namely the huge potential future age gap). If anyone wants to know what pairings I'm using from this, I'll be more than happy to drop them in a note at the start of the next one of these. Now, I've yacked long enough, on to the actual story. Please, if you find any glaring spelling or grammar errors, point them out in reviews, so I can fix them. I've read this enough times that I'm seeing what I expect to see.  
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Lucina sighed. The constant rocking of the ship made sleep impossible for a light sleeper, and living in hell had driven that trait into her very being with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Her hand drifted to the Falchion, an instinct that also was slow to fade. Still, the deck of the ship was empty. No doubt everyone else was sleeping off the terror or Robin's latest plan. He might have been brilliant but the young man was utterly insane.

"At least some things never change." She mumbled under her breath, moving in the direction of the prow of the vessel, trying to distract herself from the Tactician. He was the last thing her mind needed to drift to at this hour of the night.

"One of these days I will discover decent sleep." His voice, however tossed that notion aside, drifting from beside the railing. Lucina stopped, holding her breath so as not to startle him. Another habit from the future. "Then again I've been saying that for months."

Although Lucina couldn't see his face, she knew a grimace was twisting his lips, alongside his eyes narrowing, one of his few signs of frustration. She remained still, not wanting to risk the terrible might of his magic being unleashed upon her.

"I don't suppose you have a good suggestion for insomnia Lucina?" His words shocked her, she'd been so careful not to make a sound. He turned, facing her with the same bland, impersonal expression he wore in this time, yet a whirling fire danced behind his eyes. Lucina quelled the shiver that wracked her. This wasn't her Robin, she reminded herself.

"On boats no." Lucina shook her head, taking in the Tactician in a whole new light. Robin always had an air of power and authority, not unlike her father, although Robin's was softer than Chrom's. Tonight though, under the moon, he seemed less imposing than usual. Perhaps the lack of weapons, or maybe, Lucina thought, it was the memories. Time as well. Robin was so much younger now, hadn't had the time to develop his older self's aura of authority. He had seen less war in this time. Fewer things had hardened his heart.

"Hmm." The noise was so typical of Robin. _I suppose I should have guessed as much._ Lucina mentally translated. She moved to stand at the railing beside him, an effort to avoid meeting his eyes, and drawing out the agonies of the future that couldn't be.

"It's funny, you know." He mused, seemingly from nowhere. "When I saw you fight Chrom in that Arena back in Ferox, I could have sworn you were his child. Perfect mirrors of each other. Except that you actually fixed that one backslice he stubbornly refuses to." Bland amusement colored Robin's words, as though he found both humor and a lack thereof in a single facet of life. Lucina closed her eyes, tears threatening to form. _This isn't my Robin._ She reminded herself. The thoughts resurged with a strong undercurrent of the same feelings, mixed with new ones, one's Lucina wasn't familiar with.

"A tenth of an inch higher at the elbow. Yes." Lucina could remember Robin telling her that, back in the future, years ago even then. He chuckled. Lucina flashed a brief smile, hearing Robin even give the slightest hint of amusement was rare back in her time. From the short time spent in his company now, the same was true in this time.

"Exactly. I gave him grief over that for a week." Silence. "It's funny, really, how little hunches turn out correct." he wasn't talking to her now, instead letting the word flow into the salty air.

Lucina remained silent, content to listen, deliberately avoiding any chance of meeting his eyes. She didn't need to see to know his expression. He'd be staring up into the stars, eyes clouded and out of focus.

"I never told Chrom that hunch. Or anyone in the army. When you called him father not to long ago, I..." he snorted. "In fairness I almost blew you in half." Lucina shivered. Surprising Robin was beyond unwise. He had been known to unleash horrible magic on those unlucky enough to succeed at such a feat in the future, a trait this Robin had as well. "My second thought was vindication."

"I appreciate the restraint." Lucina muttered, knowing he wouldn't answer. She watched the stars dancing on the waves, a long growing in her heart. Every fiber of Lucina's being wished she could tell Robin everything. The man was a genius, she reminded herself, brilliant beyond compare. He could, he would, prevent the future she had lived. But at a price she wasn't willing to accept. And, _this isn't my Robin._ She repeated the mantra. _That doesn't change my feelings though._ Came the addendum.

"What was your life like before Grima?" The weight of his attention built against her shoulders. Lucina gulped. Robin didn't ask idle questions, there was, somewhere a rational behind the sudden question. "Based what Cynthia, Severa and the others we've encountered have told me, Grima was a decently recent occurrence in your life, enough you had a life before him."

For a long time Lucina didn't answer. Robin, she knew would be waiting patient, and undeterred by silence. "My life was idyllic." She replied at last, the words forming leaden, and falling heavily from her lips. "As a child I had no cares and wanted for nothing. The Ylissiean Princess... guarded by the best warriors the nation could procure, I had no need to fear assassins. I learned swordplay from Father, how to ride from Mother. You taught me more swordplay when you were around." Some part of Lucina knew that was a detail she would regret including, but it was an important one, which served the dual purpose of probing Robin a small amount.

"I did?" She gulped. Apparently her probing hadn't been wise. Having been surprised, and his interest piqued, Robin would, and probably could, pry every detail from her.

"You did. You weren't around very often, and were younger than you are in this timeline, but when you weren't playing Father's military adviser or diplomat, you taught me about swords, magic...the world." Lucina smiled a little. "At age nine, nothing was more amazing that hearing tales of the far away Valm, or stories of the greatest battles of the Shepherds."

"Hm." _Seems rather out of character for me_ . She translated to herself. "You would have been what...twelve when the wars started?" She closed her eyes. And so it began. Robin was on a mission now. Desperately, she scrambled to mitigate what he would learn. _This isn't my Robin. I can't pay that price again._ She repeated over and over mentally.

"Yes. I wanted to fight, but Father wouldn't let me. I remember the first time he didn't I ran square into you." Her eyes closed. "I was crying, and angry as on any emotional teenagers can be." That day had been unpleasant, being the first time Lucina saw her father rattled.

Hmmmm." _I'm sure I handled that_ _well_. Was the translation.

"You calmed me down, and let me vent at you, and life went on." Lucina hoped Robin would be to distracted by all the new information he would stop asking personal questions. _He can't know._ She reminded herself.

"Until Shepherds started to die. Until the world fell apart " he filled in. She cursed his intellect, wishing there was a way to outfox him. _This is Robin._ She thought. _He isn't the same, but he still can read me like a book_.

"Yes. And Father died. And Mother. All of them except you."She exhaled, fighting tears. Unbidden shivers wracked her, born of the strong breeze and spray. Robin was silent, an odd comfort.

Something warm and heavy dropped across her shoulders, causing Lucina to gasp. The wind pushed the tails of Robin's cloak, causing it to engulf her in the weight and warmth. Turning her head she was stuck by the oddity of Robin without his trademark garment, or armor. Something about the Tactician without his defining garb made him seem vulnerable, and more open. _He isn't my Robin, so why?_ She demanded of herself.

"I was the only one alive for a long time wasn't I? Of the Sheppard?" he asked. She nodded, meeting his eyes, and regretting it at once. Memories assaulted her defenses. Aided by the distinct Smokey ozone smell that often surrounded Robin, which his cloak had acquired as well, the sight of mangled bodies danced, half visible shades. In the center, HER Robin, covered in blood, skin seared black in some cases, carrying the body of her father. Robin's wild, untamed magic flashing as they fought hordes of Risen, pursuing her mother's killers. Robin's eyes filled with a different wild fire on a night she never forgot.

The flash of swords, every parry and stroke matched. Magic snapping and hissing, followed by curses. The scent of blood, and the scream of pain. The pained eyes, the gleam of silver, and lightening flashing. The pleas, falling on deaf ears.

"Yes." She whispered. "You died only a few short months before we came back in time." He didn't speak, eyes asking the question.

"Grima, knowing you posed the greatest threat to him, tried to possess you. Partially succeeded." His breath sucked in, every muscle in his jaw tensed. Genius that he was, Robin knew what was coming next. " We...we...we fought you. And..."

"You killed me." His words stuck Lucina like a physical blow. Of course she had killed him, no one else was going to. It had to be her. It was what he would have wanted. Not that she would have let anyone else regardless.

"Yes. I shoved Falchion through your heart, and held you as you bled to death." Tears formed in her eyes, at least blurring the shade of Robin, sword agleam lunging towards her. "She...I..."

One of his arms slid around her, gently pulling her to his chest as the tears poured out. In her minds eye the picture solidified, of Robin impaled by Falchion looking up at her, his eyes overflowing as they always did with emotion. She remembered every minute detail of the moment. From the powerful stench of ozone and blood, mixing with crushed flowers, to the pattern of cuts laced across his chest and arms. The half smile on his face, hiding a grimace of pain, and the way his lips formed the words.

"That won't happen this time." His words rumbled deep from his chest, causing Lucina to hear as much as feel them.

"How can you prevent that?" She demanded, still fighting sobs. "If it's so far away...if...if..." She knew what his answer would be, and knew the flaw. This wasn't her Robin. This was a different Robin, so similar and so different. This Robin, Lucina didn't know what he wasn't capable of out thinking.

"Because, Lucina Daughter of Chrom, Daughter of Sumia, I am not good at losing." There was a long pause. One of his arms shifted, then she felt the blistering warmth of his hand on her chin, lifting her head up, until their eyes locked. He wasn't so much taller than her this time. Only a sparse few inches.

"That can't change time though." She argued. He rumbled a laugh, which danced up, igniting a wild fire behind his eyes.

"Bah." Before Lucina could perform the mental translation, he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, but carried the same fire that Robin always had in the future, perhaps less restrained in this time. "Time is elastic, it will figure things out." He smirked, drawing back a little, so that she could meet his eyes once more. "Besides, you came back in time to undo that time, might as well get a head start."

"Head start?" Lucina's head whirled, totally unprepared for any of what had just occurred. Robin wasn't making a lick of sense. Head start on what? Turning back the future? _I already failed at that._ Lucina thought. _I couldn't save Father's sister._

"Head start." His grin faded a little, replaced with a more sober expression. "You are very like your father, Lucina. You both have the same little ticks." He paused, weighing words. "Especially when dealing with people you care about." That treat back upon more familiar territory to Lucina, although she remained clueless as to how it applied.

"What do you mean?" She'd been so careful, he couldn't have known about the future, what he really meant to her. It was impossible. Then again, Robin was a genius.

"Do you know how long it took Chrom to admit that he cared for Sumia?" The rapid change of conversational direction left Lucina baffled a third time. Robin didn't bother waiting for an answer, one of his few habits that tended to annoy her. "Months." Robin snorted. "I thought he was just denser than a rock, but after a while, I figured out he was playing at dense, because he didn't, and still doesn't, want to drag her into his issues." A vague ghost of a smile flashed across his face. "I forget who it was that got him to admit his feelings."

"According to him you threatened to ensure Cordelia walked in on him naked if he didn't pull his head out of his ass." Lucina offered; recalling a recent conversation with her father, as she had tried to establish what other, subtle things were different in this time. That hadn't been one of them. The tactician gave a snort.

"That I did. Not sure that's what got him to admit anything though." He shook his head. "That's getting far afield. My point is, you and your Father do many of the same things beyond just sword-fighting." From anyone else Lucina found that remark chiding. Robin though, despite his love of biting words, made the statement plain and unaccusing.

"Such as?" She asked, curious what his answer would be. Robin turn away from her, eyes drifting to the stars.

"When you are hiding an emotion, you both unconsciously grip your Falchion, the stronger the emotion the tighter the grip., sometimes to the point I can see you wince in pain. When confused, your head tilts a very exact eleven degrees to the left. You hide your fears and doubts behind facades of seriousness and control. After battles you both go and hide away from anyone. You both hate rhubarb, and despise the usual court foolery that goes on in the capitol. The telling factor this time however, is the same fire that danced in Chrom's eyes when he looks at Sumia flares behind your eyes even now."

Lucina shivered, despite the warmth of Robin's cloak. His future self wasn't that observant, despite knowing both her and Chrome longer. "It's funny." She whispered. "So many of the Shepherds are the same as I remember them. Except for you. In the future, you never noticed those things." She gulped. "You were and are a brilliant strategist, but never half as observant of people." Robin nodded.

"I doubt I am any more observant, just I've studied you, analyzed you even, and my future self probably never had a reason to to bring those things up." He paused. "My guess is the others are different too, in their own way." His eyes fluttered closed, as one hand drifted up, brushing a lock of his hair back into place. Lucina stifled a gasp, at the small, infinitesimal cue that despite the changes, this was Robin. "I'm drifting away from my point, Lucina." Silence lapsed between them, Lucina content to let Robin work out his words. "Goddamn I'm hopeless." He grumbled, allowing the small curse to slip past him. He pulled away from her, talking a few faces down the deck of the ship, and into a patch of moonlight.

Lucina didn't answer, eyes fixed on the network of scars that covered Robin's suddenly visible arms. Normally invisible, hidden by his cloak and armor, she'd only seem them occasionally in the future. Now, she had time to study and memorize them again, as some of them were ones she wasn't familiar with, no doubt souvenirs of battle.

 _That is a morbid thought. Being familiar with Robin's scars._ She shook the notion off. Most of Robin's wounds were legacies of battles in the past. A sparse few he didn't know the origin of. Six of the scars though, Lucina didn't know how he'd earned.

"I will never be the Robin you fell in love with in your future." He began, words slow and deliberate. "I'm not sure how I fit into the puzzle that you are, around that. But..."he trailed off again. Lucina felt a smile form on her lips. _This isn't my Robin. My Robin is dead. But I feel the same way about this one._

"I fell in love with you Robin, just ad I did with the you from my future. Each if you is unique." Lucina cut him off, taking his hand in her own. The words seemed heavy, falling with the proclamation of weighty consequences, and for a moment, Lucina was afraid she had spoken to soon. It was true, she loved this Robin. Little surprised her about that fact, having watched the Shepherds for a long time before intervening to defend her father, some part of her had known the feelings were developing. Robin stepped from the moonlight, pulling her into an embrace once more. She looked up, meeting his eyes.

He smiled a little, from the corner of his mouth. "I promise Lucina, your future will not come to pass." The words rumbled, deep in his chest, and for the first time since Exalt Emmyrn died Lucina believe that was possible. "Something I'm sure we will speak of later." His eyes drifted off, in the direction of the Valmesse port. "You had best sleep," he advised her. "Tomorrow will not be a day of rest for anyone."

Lucina nodded, just a little, before leaning against his shoulder. Robin's arm snaked around her, a silent gesture from the Tactician that meant more than any of his words.


	2. Meeting of the Minds

**DISCLAIMER: NO PROFIT IS BEING MADE OFF THE MATERIAL PRESENTED HERE. I DO NOT OWN FIRE EMBLEM AND IN NO REALISTIC WORLD WILL I. sadly.**

 **A/N: Done, and I guess, dusted. This was a major pain to writer, as Robin's thoughts don't come easy. Either way, enjoy, review, and please, point out any obvious stupid errors I have made. I'm hoping for a Monday/Wednesday/Friday update schedule for this, but this week work has already eaten about three more hours of my time than excepted, so we'll see how that holds. Feel free to shoot me questions about any plot(ish) points that don't make sense. Reviews on these are always helpful. Enough of my yacking.**

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Robin sighed, running the whetstone down the length of his sword for perhaps the hundredth time, applying no pressure at all.

"Somehow I can't shake an ill feeling about this venture." The tactician murmured to himself. "Walhart has subjugated an entire continent without the slightest signs of losing momentum. It's logistically and logically impossible for him to have always had such an army, so he has some degree of tactical sense... " Robin shook his head. Self doubt was the last thing he needed. None the less, vile tendrils continued to creep into his thoughts, distracting from his task of planning a second war.

"What are you doing out here?" Without turning he identified Severa, her bitting tone making the task simple.

"I am thinking. What are you doing out here?" He challenged, forced calm injected into the words. Severa and her bitchy exterior was the last thing he needed to deal with tonight, given the mountainous task of overthrowing a man who was rumored to field a million soldiers.

"Don't turn my question back on me!" Robin didn't so much as flinch at her rage. "Why aren't you sleeping you dolt?" Robin didn't answer for a long moment. "The last thing the army needs is a tired tactician getting us all killed." The young woman's words bit hard, and Robin fought a brief war to keep from rising to the bait. Severa wasn't as horrible as her exterior would suggest, but Robin had learned that she was good, exceedingly so, and manipulating people, subtle small actions, designed to give her information.

"What do you want Severa?" He turned, meeting Cordelia's daughters eyes with a stony glare. Playing word games was an activity that, on a normal day, Robin would have delighted in, especially turning the game back on someone. Tonight however, he found no appeal to verbal dancing, and opted for directness. "It is remarkably hard to plan a war when being yelled at." Without fear, the young woman met his eyes, glaring, not amused in the slightest by his willingness to take the bait

"I'm figuring out what our dumbass Tactician is doing." She snapped, complete with accompanying violent gesture. "And trying to figure out why he seems intent on getting us killed by falling asleep on the battlefield." Robin struggled to suppress his urge to mangle the girl. He knew what she was doing and refused to rise to the bait, although it was getting harder and harder. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that she was knew nothing about him, and was showing genuine concern, in her own misguided way. This wasn't the first time she'd voiced this concern to him.

"No, that isn't why you are here." He hissed, losing his civil tone despite all efforts otherwise. "After last time you started that up, I happen to know Lucina chewed your ass up one side and down the other. And you might not respect me, but you respect her." Lucina had never confirmed to Robin that is what happened, but from observing Chrom's daughter, and Severa, along with listening to the rumor mill, Robin was certain of the chain of events regardless.

"You are Damn right." Severa stepped in closer, her right hand drifting towards the sword at her hip, eyes cold. "What did you do to Lucina?" The accusation caught Robin somewhat off guard, even though he had anticipated the question to a certain degree. Severa wanted a rise out of him, and to her, the fastest way to do that was take a stab at his relationship with Lucina. Part of him wanted to laugh at Severa's attempt to look threatening, but the rational side of him knew that doing so would start a very messy fight.

"The hell do you mean?" He shook his head, the profanity slipping out, although perhaps adding a degree of authenticity to the preplanned response. "I haven't done anything to Lucina." Which was the truth.

"Liar." Severa spat, eyes flashing. "You did something. Now stop denying it, you coward. At least be a man enough to own up to what you did!" Robin snorted, spreading his hands, a gesture of conciliation and confusion. He hadn't done a thing to Lucina, although, if Severa knew about his future self's relationship with her, there would be some, off base, merit to the accusations.

"I didn't do anything to Lucina, and if someone did... " he trailed off, his stance shifting a little, alongside a drastic change in his mood. His fingers brushed the tome hanging from his hip, and lightning crackled in the air. Severa rolled her eyes, making it clear she saw only what she wanted to see. At least, that was what she wanted Robin to believe.

"Coward. Won't even own up to it." She spat. Robin glared at her. His self control was wavering, and of course it would be Severa to find the chinks in his armor. Few things got under the Tactician's skin like being called a coward, and even more considering the kind of accusation Severa was making.

"I would call you the coward, making accusations without proof, just to get a rise out of someone." The young man growled, pushing back, just a bit. Self control or no, Severa could get under his ski. "Contrary to what you seem to think, I do have limits to my patience." He waved a hand, the aggression fading from both stance and tone. "I didn't do anything to Lucina. Yes, she is more relaxed, almost cheerful. Yes, I know why. No, I won't tell you." Robin charged ahead, seizing his chance to head the temperamental girl off, as the force of her anger seemed to build. "Why are you really here." He repeated his question, magic dancing across his fingers, a growing signal of his roiling emotions, almost eager to be unleashed.

"Figuring out why you seem so dead set on not being at 100%." She snapped. "God's you are an idiot. Waltzing around out here in the woods, instead of sleeping so you are can lead!" Robin sighed. Truly, he couldn't fault Severa for her views, but at the same time, her words struck a nerve deep inside him.

"In the future, where you came from, what time did Lucina wake up and go to sleep. What time did the me from your future do the same." The gears turned in Severa's head, and Robin waited for her to figure it out. The only way to drive this point home was for the hardheaded girl to see it for herself, Robin knew.

"Before you died, Lucina was asleep hours ago, and awake with the sun." The young woman answered, words slow and considered. Her brow furrowed. "After you died, I'm not convinced she slept a wink for months. You...we never saw you sleep. I stayed up three straight days, and never saw you sleep a wink."she admitted, seeming quite frustrated with that remark.

"Mhm." Robin nodded. That was easy to guess, now to see if she could make the next leap. "I am, fundamentally the same person I was in the time Severa. And I am willing to bet my left arm you gave my future self an equal amount of grief about this issue, it would be unlike you to do otherwise." The daughter of Cordelia nodded, the harsh frown marring her features as easy indicator of confusion. Robin gave himself a mental pat on the back. "And what did my future self say, Severa?"

"There is only so much weight two shoulders can bear before the body begins to give way." Severa replied almost by rote. Robin just held her gaze. "Which, you idiot, doesn't answer the question!" And the bitch was back.

"Yes, Severa, it does." Robin turned away, hoping she wouldn't see the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "The fate of the entire army rests on my shoulders, a concept you grasp extremely well, to be out here, chastising me about not sleeping. Do you know what I see when I sleep?"

"No?" Curiosity overtook hostility in those words again. Robin sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation. He didn't want Severa of all people to know these things, no matter how well he understood the facade she put up.

"I see faces, Severa. I see fields of corpses. I see Chrom, crucified, and waved at a taunt before hordes of Risen that I face alone. I see Lucina..." He trailed off, unable to finish that sentence. "I see each and every possible consequence of my mistakes, in gruesome, precise detail." He gave a hollow laugh, feeling the tears start to run down his cheeks. "My dreams Severa, are a litany of hell, brought on by my own mind." Robin gave a snort. "You would much rather I lead an army without sleep than with it I assure you." He paused, blinking away the tears. In the past days, the nightmares had gotten worse, evolving from just his friends dead, to other, progressively more horrible scenes.

"Oh." There was a distinct subdued note in Severa's voice. Robin sighed once more, knowing he had just left a heavy weight upon the shoulders of that young woman. He chanced a short glance in her direction, and blinked in surprise.

If one knew where to look, Severa's family wore their hearts on the sleeves. "Severa..." he paused, careful to make sure just the right amount of emotion went into his words. "Your mother isn't going to die." Robin didn't have the wherewithal to play word game any longer. His own emotions were to jumbled, and needed to be sorted out. Severa jerked. "And neither is Lucina, and neither am I. "

"You think I care what happens to you?" Her tone was incredulous.

"No." Robin said flat, a veneer of self control sliding into place. "You care what happens to Lucina." Sitting down heavily, Robin closed his eyes. "You saw Lucina break when I died Severa. You saw the strong, unshakable warrior everyone of you looked up to, the children here and that we haven't met." Robin exhaled, giving voice to thoughts neither of them were going to like. "You alone saw this, both because you know how to look, and because she let you see." He sighed, perhaps for the dozenth time. "And you're scared for her. Scared I'm going to die, and that she will break again...only this time, there won't be a second time line, a second me." He shuddered, wishing those words never needed to be spoken. "You are afraid, Severa of what happens when Lucina breaks completely." He laughed, a bitter, cold, and choking sound that covered a sob.

"Self important jackass. What makes you think that?" Severa demanded. Robin sighed, again. He would have to be careful, lest the action became a habit.

"Because Severa, just like all the others, you put up a front. Yours is being a bitch. Cynthia hides behind her love of gallant combat and heroism. Nah just put on a brave face. Lucina...Lucina inherited her father's unbreakable will. Kjelle throws herself into her obsession with all things plate steel." He gave a bitter snort. "You all came from your own personal hell. Each one learned to cope differently." For the first time since the start of their Argument, Robin turned and met Severa's eyes. "You put up the front of being hardened, bitter and cold. Of not caring. Inside, you are screaming, every day. You can't bear the thought of losing someone close to you again." Robin stopped, daring her to disagree. Not that she would.

Severa didn't speak for a long time. "In the future...You seemed invincible. Forged in war, a master swordsman, a mage, a brilliant tactical mind. The right hand of Chrom." Robin didn't interrupt as she paused. "I first met you during a full gathering of the Shepards, it was the same time I met most of the others." She sighed, shoulders drooping. "You awed us, especially because when we found Lucina she was sparing with you...it was inspiring. We looked up to you. Then the war happened...our parents started dying."

Robin picked up after a minute of silence. "Lucina became the defacto parent for the group." He murmured. That would have made sense, Chrom's daughter was wise beyond her years, a trait no doubt forced upon her, both by exposure to war, and exposure to Robin's future self. "I was the same warrior who had awed you those years ago except now I was your protector as well. A sheild against the darkness."

Severa nodded. "You gave us hope. Hope that despite the claims of the Grimeal...we could win. That we would win. " Robin's eyes closed, his lips tensing. Even a blind-man would have seen the next words coming. "Then Grima killed you."

"Yes." His reply was strangled. So Severa didn't know. "And so you came back, when all options ran out." That wasn't the truth Robin knew, but he wanted to give Severa the out. Enough painful memories were dragged up tonight, there didn't need to be more, never mind revealing truths that Severa wasn't ready for.

"Yes." She replied. Robin nodded, playing along. "And your out here doing whatever..."she paused. "I lost so much Robin. We almost lost Lucina when you died." Robin jerked, every muscle tensing. There was an implication there, subtle that is was. "Please, take care of yourself." He gave a worthless laugh, hollow, pained.

"I will Severa." He paused. "You do know you are probably the fourth best sword in the Sheppards, right? He asked, watching for her reaction. Severa jerked, as if slapped.

"What?" She demanded. Robin nodded thoughtfully.

"Chrom, Lucina, Me, You, Lon'Qu, perhaps that new swordsmistress, Say'ri. The five best with a sword." He replied sagely. "If not quite that order. The first three are still a might murky, but you are by far the fourth best." Before Severa could respond , he carried on. "I know you feel like you live in the shadow of your mother Severa but none of the Shepards compare you to her. She doesn't have expectations of you based on that. Hell..." Robin trailed off unsure if he should reveal the next part or not. Realizing he was in to far to back out, the young man plowed on. "She hates being called a genius."

A spark of shock flared in the young woman's features. No one had ever told her that, Robin deduced. "Really?" Strangled emotions, ones Robin made no attempt to unravel, filled the word. It wasn't his place to interfere more than he already had.

"Really." He gave a softer smile, the caustic tone gone from his earlier words. "But that is not my story. I do suggest avoiding harshness when breaching the topic however." To his surprise the hotheaded girl nodded, taking serious note of the words. And advice. Robin masked his surprise.

"Thank you, Robin." She exhaled, turning to leave. "I know something happened between you and Lucina, by the way. She was sleeping under your cloak when I woke up." Robin rolled his eyes.

Robin snorted. "I have something like four of those. That doesn't prove anything Severa." She rolled her eyes.

"God's you're an idiot. Tried that lie in the future too." Robin waved her away, trying to keep his features blank. When she was gone, he exhaled, all semblance of his control shattering. Tears leaked from his eyes, and he ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"Goddamnit." He mumbled, glaring at his sword, which lay next to the whetstone. A string of curses burst from Robin, as he fought with himself. Sometimes decisions were so much easier to make in a vacuum, he thought.

"Robin?" Lucina shattered his internal battle, words smooth and flowing. Robin's heart skipped a beat, from shock, and abject terror. Lucina could not know. He schooled his features blank again.

"Right here." Robin mentally swore at how ragged his voice sounded. After a moment, Lucina stepped into the clearing.

As always, Lucina carried herself with an air of power and grace. The divine Falchion clinking at her hip. Her hair flowed freely, gently wrapping around her neck, coax by the slight breeze. Bright and alive, her eyes found his in a moment, and Robin couldn't help but shiver. The depth of feeling hidden in those blue orbs was breathtaking. Lucina had loved him in her future, beyond any hope of description. He wasn't sure if he had a child that would eventually step from the past as if nothing had happened, but such an event wouldn't have surprised Robin the least.

Although Robin was a good portion of unsure how to handle his 'relationship' with Lucina, there was no denying she was beautiful. How he fit into the engima she presented was an issue Robin had resovled to take one day at a time, and, was one he was less sure mattered over much. Other mysteries existed to be solved. He seemed to have an entire life to solve Lucina.

"You look like hell." She observed, tone soft, questioning. Robin grunted. Lucina sat, flowing into a lotus without pause, waiting.

"Dealing with Severa is tiring." He replied, hoping the understatement and subtle redirection would keep Lucina from prying to close.

"You look a whole lot worse than just encountering Severa." The words carried no accusation. Robin sighed, this time more directed towards himself.. Of course Lucina would see through that. Anyone else would have been diverted, but she had known him far longer than any of the Shepards, having had years to assess and comb through his mannerisms, find the little tells that he so gleefully exploited against her and her father.

"Hm." Robin knew Lucina would figure out what the nonsense noise meant, and it was easier than words. She sighed, leaning forwards to place her hands over his.

"What are you afraid of, Robin?" She asked him, expression serene, despite flare in her eyes that told Robin she wanted nothing less than to sit there, calm and collected.

"Everything?" Robin offered, quelling his swirling thoughts and analysis of Lucina. As well as he could read her, she read him better, there was no dispute. "Two shoulders can only bear so much weight, Lucina." He shook his head, before brushing a few errant locks of hair behind an ear.

"You find that line adept at describing your position, don't you?" She murmured. "A favorite of your other self's." Robin chuckled, again, a bitter self serving sound, one which had become normal for him.

"Indeed. Doesn't surprise me." He shrugged, meeting Lucina's eyes. "The weight of an entire army is on my shoulders at any given moment, Lucina. Thousands of soldiers, some I will never knows the names of. Others, like the Shepards, that I had deep personal connections with. Now, adding in time traveling children? For all I know, on any given battlefield, I could be sending a close friends child to their death." He paused. "For all I know, one of those endless soldiers of Walhart's could be my child!" He snorted. "Which seems, I suppose unlikely, given how much of an ass I imagine my future self to be." Robin frowned at a shift in Lucina's face. The muscles of her jaw tightened a little, and her gaze shifted, just a smidge to not directly meet his. "You're hiding something. Or more, accurate, you haven't told me something." He steeled himself for almost any possible revelation.

Robin was treated to the rare sight of a cringing Lucina. "Um...well...about that." She fidgeted, moving a hand almost reflexively to her Falchion. Robin's jaw dropped. Impossible. Lucina wasn't serious.

"Your kidding." The words were flat and incredulous. "You actually slept with me in the future." Lucina didn't answer. "You're a smart woman Lucina, but what the hell? That seems utterly stupid!" Robin waved a hand, trying to convey his point better. "I'm...well... a jackass, for one. For two, even if I was younger, age difference, and three-" Robin's brain caught up with his mouth, feeding a long line of reason's why sleeping with him in the future was utter stupidity.

"Actually,"Lucina cut him off with a blush. "I'd say it was a very good idea." Robin gawked. "And yes, you have a daughter." Robin closed his eyes, let out a long slow breath. Millions of feelings wared for dominance inside him. Robin, however pushed them all down, drawing his face into a serene expression.

He nodded. And passed out.


	3. Apples Do Not Fall Far from the Tree

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTER NOR THE GAME OF FIRE EMBLEM. NO PROFIT IS BEING MADE ON WHAT YOU SEE HERE.

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Two figures emerged from the haze around ten yards from Morgan, who gave them only a passing though before refocusing on the Valmese soldier bearing down, his axe raised. Her sword hissed through the air, cutting a thin line through the wooden handle, leaving the man gaping, before her spell ended his life.

After giving the area a quick glance to ensure no one else was going to try and brain her, Morgan gave the two new arrivals a more throughout look. The man was the taller of the pair, eyes cold as they locked with Morgan.

There was a finality to those eyes, Morgan thought, as if the man was sizing her up, and determining if she was a threat. Morgan frowned a small amount, noting that the man had determined that she was a threat, but not to him or his companion. His stance gave her a degree of deference, but not the same attention one might foist upon an enemy. Someone he was close to, Morgan noted, based again on his stance, and the way his eyes would occasionally dart towards the woman.

Said woman, meanwhile, was scanning the rest of the small square, a peculiar frown on her face. Morgan lowered her weapon, returning her attention to the man, who was relaxing, or at least appearing to. Morgan could see that he hadn't relaxed in the least however.

"Robin." The woman spoke, her voice sharp. "There is another squad coming this way." Morgan frowned, hearing the thundering shouts of approaching soldiers. The man's eyes rolled.

"Then explain why you aren't killing them?" The man, Robin, replied, his voice entirely without inflection or tone. Morgan shivered. There was nothing human about that one.

"I've killed all the others." The woman replied with a snort. "Why don't you do you do something for once." Morgan gawked. These two were bantering? In the middle of a battlefield?

"Fair enough." Robin's lips quirked. Morgan turned in the direction of the approaching men, gripping her sword tight. The first soldier to charge into battle died in a blast of lightning, probably from Robin. Morgan felled the following one with a fireball, and stared when a man was cut in half by the woman.

The blade in the woman's hand drew Morgan's attention, as did the sarcastic remark of Robin. "Make up your mind Lucina." Morgan shook her head. The named tugged at a veiled urge, one that, for the time being, Morgan smashed. These two were bantering, in the middle of a war zone. What had the world come too?

"You two are seriously flirting in the middle of a fight." She gave the duo a glare. However, it was Robin who answer her question, still in the same monotonous way.

"Of course." Without waiting, he started off in the direction in the center of town. The woman, apparently named Lucina, followed. Morgan sighed, and jogged after the pair, raining spells on the soldiers they fought. The enemy of her enemy was, temporarily was her friend.

As the battle wound across the narrow streets, Morgan marveled at how easily she fit into the flow of battle beside the two. Lucina tended to lead the way into a horde of soldiers, with Robin hanging behind, his formidable lightening magic providing an initial shock, before Lucina started hewing the men down. At this point, Robin closed in, proving his lethality with blades as well. Morgan found herself weaving in-between the intricate choreography of the duo without pause, adding her own blade and spells to the lethal mix.

Soldier fell like weeds before them, until a man wearing intricately carved armor and weapons presented himself, full of pomp and swagger. "AH! A worthy challenge! Who shall die first?" The man boomed, waving his blade, an overblown gesture. Morgan stopped short, unable to believe her ears.

"Mine!" She hissed at the same moment as her unlikely companions. The other two turned, glaring at her, then each other.

"He's mine!" They repeated in tandem once more. Robin snarled, gesturing with his sword.

"Leave off. This bastard is mine." Morgan shook her head, spell crackling in her hand.

"I called him first." It was a childish response, but seemed fitting.

Lucina smirked. "It doesn't matter which of you called him if I stab him first." Before the boasting soldier could muster up a terrified squawk, all three turned, and Morgan found herself again at the center of a veritable hurricane of steel, which left the man in pieces. There wasn't so much as a scream of terror before he died.

Spinning away from the carnage, Morgan let out a long slow breath, her heart thundering.

"That was awesome!" A new, feminine voice caused Morgan to spin around, magic dancing around her fingers. Her temporary companions however, did not react with violence. A young woman, at best sixteen or so, vaulted off a Pegasus, spear in hand before Morgan and Lucina. "You were like," The girl made a slash with her spear, "Then you did a," She twirled. Morgan's brow twitched. Who was this person, and how the hell were they so perky?

"Cynthia." Robin's voice was the same monotone it had been the entire battle, and silenced the girl at once. Her bright perky expression faded to a determined serious one. In spite of herself, Morgan was impressed by the sudden change. This girl had gone from bubbly annoyance, to soldier in under a second. "Go find Chrom, let him and Say'ri know that the battle is over." There was a pause, and Lucina took over.

"Robin and I will be back as soon as possible, there is a matter we need to deal with." Lucina's expression had a severity that matched Robin's, and Cynthia nodded. Morgan got the strange feeling she was the 'matter' the duo needed to handle.

"Got it!" With a bounce in her step, the Pegasus rider mounted up, taking to the skies, with a parting shout of "Don't get up to anything I wouldn't, you two!" There was a long silence, as Robin watched her vanish over the horizon.

"I suppose she just volunteered as my sparring partner." He mused, before focusing on Morgan. As those dead eyes pierced her, Morgan took a step back, getting the feeling the man was sizing her up anew. Every subtle stance shift made her twitch, and added to her running internal monologue about him.

 _I'm now considered a major threat. Not worth of attacking on site, but he doesn't like the fact he doesn't know who I am, or how I fight so well alongside him_. Morgan made a visible effort to lower her sword and relax, holding Robin's gaze, with what she hoped was an absence of fear. All the while, she tried to size the man as he sized her up. His eyes glittered in the light of the burning buildings, a notion at odds with the cold and radiated from him. _He could kill me in a blink_. Morgan thought, hiding the spike in her heart rate. Robin's lips curled into a frown.

"Your name is Morgan, isn't it?" Robin spoke at last, his words coming slow, as if they caused him pain. Lucina sucked in a breath, as Morgan flinched, her sword sliding into a ready guard.

"How do you know that?" It was a command not a question, and, the small, rational side of Morgan knew that she was in no position to make such a demand. Robin gave her a searching gaze. He was as aware of that reality as Morgan.

"You already know the answer." Morgan glared, her eyes narrowing. Why would she know the answer? No one in this time line should know who she was, to some degree, which was the point. Even in the future, no one knew her name, except...

Morgan's thought zeroed in, and her stance shifted into an aggressive one, sword settling into a comfortable grip. "You son of a bitch." She hissed. He just had to sit there, looking smug, and self-satisfied. Her head tracked, locking eyes with Lucina, taking in the woman's dark blue hair, and noticing for the first time, the mark emblazoned on the left eye. "You bitch." Morgan repeated, low and cold. Her vision faded into a tunnel, showing only Lucina, and the exact arc her blade would follow when it removed Lucina's head.

Steel clashed in a shower of sparks as Robin parried her attack, his cold expression fading into a focused one, as he deflected every attempt Robin made to attack Lucina. The woman was so close, why couldn't this man just let her pass?

With a snarl, Morgan flipped over a slash, and lunged towards Lucina. Less than six inches separated Lucina's chest-plate and Morgan's blade when, with a titanic crash, Morgan found herself rolling across the ground. Her vision spun into a haze of stars, and when it cleared, Moran found herself pinned to the ground by Robin. For the first time the entire day, Morgan saw emotions flare beneath Robin's facade, lighting a fire behind his cold eyes.

"Are you done?" He asked, sounding calm and collected, no sign of strain on his face. Morgan, however, attempted to wrench her limbs free of his grip, to no avail. Robin's grip was steel, and although she saw a flicker of strain on his face form, it vanished in an instant. "I'll take that as a no." There was a pause. "Damnit Morgan, I get it. You have every right to be angry, but can you be nonviolently angry?" He asked, now showing more obvious signs of strain as Morgan strained her own muscles to break free.

"Go to hell." Morgan spat. Robin gave a small nod, as if he saw that answer coming. "She deserves it."

"While I would agree that your Mother leaving you behind was of questionable judgement, killing her solves nothing." Robin sighed, his grip slackening. "Besides, you wouldn't forgive yourself." Morgan made to break free of his grip, and stop.

"What do you mean, I wouldn't forgive myself, _Father_?" She spat. "You have never been part of my life, I never saw you. You, in some sick twisted fit, had Mother kill you. How the fuck do you claim to know a damn thing about what I feel?" To his credit, Robin didn't flinch, or even show a sign of emotion during her tirade. Morgan couldn't help but envy his control.

"I can't claim to know what my future self thought, at any given point. Based on what Lucina has told me, I would agree, he was an asshole." Morgan stared in disbelief. This version of her father thought his future self was an asshole? Had she been right? "As for how I can claim to know what you would feel, I think you already know the answer." Seeming to decide that Morgan wasn't going to try and kill anyone, Robin pushed up, freeing Morgan to scramble to her feet.

He moved to stand beside Lucina, one of his arms wrapping around the woman's shoulders, his other, which held his sword, remained free. Morgan took note of the tears in Lucina's eyes, and made an effort to steel herself against those. This wasn't the time for such feelings.

What did Robin mean by Morgan already knew how he understood her feelings. He was, after a fashion, correct, Morgan did not want to kill her mother, or even hurt her. Lucina was her Mother, and Morgan had sparse few memories of her. That, perhaps, made the pain of being left behind all the more poignant.

That however, did not answer the question of how Robin knew. Or, Morgan realized, it did. Those thoughts, no matter how far she pushed the down, would reflect in her fighting style. Robin, according to his future selves' older Sister, was a genius, and nothing Morgan had seen disproved that theory. Thus, it would stand to reason, he had observed her fight, and realized that she wasn't attacking Lucina with the same lethal intent of the previous battle.

"Your projected your thoughts on the situation onto me, combined with watching me fight." Morgan spoke aloud, glaring at Robin. Thinking of him as her Father felt very strange, and was an act Morgan was not ready for. "She was right, you are a genius."

"She?" The pronoun sounds strangled, as Lucina spoke around her tears. Morgan drew her face into a non-expression.

"The woman who raised me, since my Mother decided that hopping threw time was a valid idea." Morgan imbued the words with perhaps more venom than intended. "His," She gave a sharp jab in Robin's direction, "Future selves older sister." This brought both her parents, rather her parent and a half, up short, and gave Morgan a feeling of great satisfaction.

"That would serve to explain a few things, depending on the exact nature of the situation." Robin muttered, just loud enough for Morgan to catch. Lucina frowned, before nodding.

"This is true, it would." She admitted. "There were tales of exploits that you would have been far too young to have had any part of in the future, and Father always blew my questions off when I asked." There was a distinct tonal resentment.

"How old was this sister of mine?" Robin asked, his face gaining some level of emotion. Morgan considered. It was a fair question, and deserved at least some degree of an answer.

"Your age, I believe." Morgan replied. "She never told me how old she was...in truth, I didn't find out she was your sister from her." Morgan shrugged. "The Grimeal were more than willing to cough up stories about her. About how she betrayed the great warrior king Chrom, and the like. On the worst of days, she would wax on about the horrors of what she had done, and been complicit in." Morgan stopped, and sighed. That was more than she had intended to.

"You hate me, don't you?" Morgan flinched, her control not fast enough to stop the reaction to the broken note of her mother's voice. "For leaving you?" Robin pulled Lucina tighter, performing the altogether strange action of using Lucina's sheathe for his sword, freeing his right hand to fully embrace her. Despite what she knew to be a deliberate attempt to shield her from her mothers' tears, Morgan saw the streaks.

"I..." Morgan stopped, a wave of uncertainty washing over her. How did she feel about her Mother? Robin was right, she didn't want to kill, or hurt Lucina, but that did not mean Morgan did not hate her. Did it? "I...I don't know." Morgan whispered.

Lucina shook, no doubt with sobs. Morgan turned away, feeling her own tears start. It burned to see her mother in this state, yet at the same time there was a vengeful satisfaction to the sound.

"Morgan." Robin's voice scattered the thoughts, she turned a little, as was baffled by the concern in his eyes. Only minutes before, Robin had been a stone cold wall, without emotions, unfeeling, and unflinching. Now, he was changed, the air of authoritative power lingered, but the man himself was cooler, less a raging storm in a bottle. The genuine concern made Morgan want to cower. She hadn't earned that from him. "I am not my future self, and I will never claim to be..." he trailed off, opening and closing his mouth a few times as if to start talking, but stopping each time. He paused, facing growing contemplative. "None of us have much from the future, unlike the others." Lucina pulled her head from his chest to listen, tears stain obvious. "And," His lips quirked. "We got off on a bad foot." Morgan gave an unladylike snort.

"Robin." Lucina mumbled. Morgan got the feeling she was chiding him. Robin ignored them both.

"Just start over. Put..."He frowned. "This behind us." Hope flared in Lucina's eyes. Morgan's stomach twisted. Robin extended his hand, waiting.

Morgan gulped. Start over. Have a relationship with her parents, such as they were; Lucina, her mother, and Robin, the man, who would be the father of her some years down the road in this timeline, and was a close match to what she had heard of her actual father. A flare of rage rose up for a moment, before fading again. _Rage doesn't define who you are._ Morgan reminded herself. _Rage is the weapon of the weak, it will only dull your blade. Sharpen your blade with righteous and just causes, Morgan, Daughter of my Brother, or sharpen it not at all_. Those had been her words to Morgan, prior to flying back in time.

She opened her mouth to point out to Robin that he hadn't thought this idea through, and stopped. He wouldn't make such a suggestion without major thought.

"As long as well all understand this won't be easy." She pointed out. Robin held her gaze, and Lucina nodded, wiping away a few tears. Morgan gave a small, tentative smile, taking Robin's hand, and letting herself be pulled into an embrace. Her sword clattered the ground as she returned it.

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A/N: Well, Morgan officially hates me, as her personality and character did not want to happen at all which is what delayed the writing of this somewhat. However, I'm happy with how this turned out, at the end of the day. I find the way the story handled Morgan to be downright sloppy writing, and well, a way to dodge the obivous levels of squick involved in any Robin/Future Child relationship, as well as the utterly silly idea of the timelines being identical. I find it makes for a much more interesting story when they aren't.

Rant over, I hope you enjoyed that. Reviews are always appreciated, as in any kind of feedback, love it or hate it.


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